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Entrant Responsibilities for Confined Space

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines a confined space as a space a worker can enter which is not designed for continuous occupancy and has limited means of entrance and egress. These types of work spaces are common in industry and can be identified as vaults, manholes, hoppers, pits, vats, tunnels and similar types of spaces. Potential hazards in these types of work spaces can be immediately dangerous to life and health. The Oklahoma State University safety and health program identifies these hazards as toxic atmosphere, engulfment, entrapment and various other mechanical and biological hazards outlining the importance of proper training for workers entering confined spaces.

  1. Entry Requirements

    • OSHA requires that confined space entry operations involve more than just the entrant. The entrant must work with other members of the confined space entrance team ensure conditions are safe for workers to enter the space and perform assigned work in the space. The confined space entrant, the confined space attendant and the entrant supervisor must all be trained on proper procedures for entering the confined space and focus on detection and safeguarding hazardous conditions prior to entry, as well as monitoring conditions during the entry operation. The U.S. Marine Corps clearly and concisely outlines specific duties for each team member, and the entrant is specifically required to know the hazards of entry into a specific confined space prior to entry, be familiar with entry equipment, maintain communication with the entry attendant and exit the confined space if a hazardous condition exists.

    Knowing the Hazards

    • The confined space entrant must be familiar with every aspect of the entry operation and work to be performed in the confined space prior to beginning work in order to remain safe. This includes knowing potential chemical and atmospheric hazards contained in the space, and understanding the health effects of those substances and how to recognize those effects. Beyond potential chemical hazards, the entrant must be aware of any other potential hazards such as engulfment, entrapment that may be present and hazards that may be created in the space while work is in progress, such as noise, hazardous atmosphere and mechanical or electrical hazards.

    Entry Equipment

    • Entrants must also be aware of the proper function of equipment provided to them to keep them safe during the course of the entry operation. Such equipment may include gas monitors, fall protection, rescue or extraction equipment and radio communication devices. It is ultimately the entrant's responsibility to ensure each of the items provided to him is in proper working order.

    Maintaining Communication and Exiting the Space

    • Communication with the entry attendant is essential for the entrant. In order to stay safe and allow the entry attendant to perform his duties properly for emergency extraction or summoning rescue services, the entrant must work out a system with the entry attendant to communicate conditions within the confined space. Sometimes this can be done through direct line of sight communication with the entrant, but many times radio communication or predetermined signals are needed when direct line of sight verbal communication is not possible or practical. Finally, the entrant must be aware of his surroundings in the space and immediately exit the space or signal for help if conditions in the space deteriorate and become dangerous.

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